Mindfulness as a well-being initiative for future nurses: a survey with undergraduate nursing students

Clare Mc Veigh; Joanne Reid; Claire Carswell; Lindsay Ace; Ian Walsh; Lisa Graham-Wisener; Soham Rej; Angela Potes; Karen Atkinson; Trudi Edginton; Helen Noble

doi:10.1186/s12912-021-00783-0

Mindfulness as a well-being initiative for future nurses: a survey with undergraduate nursing students

BMC Nurs. 2021 Dec 20;20(1):253. doi: 10.1186/s12912-021-00783-0.

Authors

Clare Mc Veigh¹, Joanne Reid², Claire Carswell², Lindsay Ace², Ian Walsh³, Lisa Graham-Wisener⁴, Soham Rej^{5

6}, Angela Potes⁶, Karen Atkinson⁷, Trudi Edginton⁸, Helen Noble²

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK. clare.mcveigh@qub.ac.uk.
² School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
³ School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
⁴ Centre for Improving Health-Related Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
⁵ McGill Meditation and Mind-Body Medicine Research Clinic (MMMM-RC) and Geri-PARTy Research Group, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
⁷ Mindfulness UK, Taunton, Somerset, UK.
⁸ School of Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, City University of London, London, UK.

Abstract

Background: Mindfulness can potentially positively impact well-being and resilience in undergraduate nursing students. The psychological well-being of such students undertaking clinical training is paramount to ensure optimal learning, and to equip them with skills to manage their wellbeing in future clinical practice. The aim of our study was to explore the views of undergraduate nursing students in relation to understanding and engaging with mindfulness, and how mindfulness could best be delivered within their university programme.

Methods: An online survey was administered via a cloud-based student response system to a convenience sample of first year undergraduate nursing students completing a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours (Hons) degree in nursing at a University in the United Kingdom. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Results: The survey achieved a response rate of 78% (n = 208). Seventy-nine percent of participants had heard of mindfulness and were interested in taking part in a mindfulness programme. Respondents reported that the ideal delivery of the programme would consist of weekly 45-min, in person group sessions, over a 6-week period. Respondents also indicated that a mobile application could potentially facilitate participation in the programme. Thematic analysis of open-ended comments, and free text, within the survey indicated 4 overarching themes: 1) Perceptions of what mindfulness is; 2) Previous mindfulness practice experiences; 3) Impact of mindfulness in nursing; 4) The need for a future well-being initiative for undergraduate nursing students.

Conclusions: Undergraduate nursing students perceived that a mindfulness programme has the potential to enhance well-being and future clinical practice. This student cohort are familiar with mindfulness and want more integrated within their undergraduate curriculum. Further research is required to examine the effectiveness of a tailored mindfulness intervention for this population that incorporates the use of both face-to-face and mobile delivery.

Keywords: Healthcare; Indfulness; Meditation; Nursing students; Undergraduate.